Thinking Outside the Mobile 'Box'

By now you've probably figured out that there are a bunch of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) devices inside smartphones and myriad other mobile consumer devices. But did you know that MEMS is also revolutionizing how dairy cows are managed and that it's a potentially $40 billion business?

The cows wear MooMonitor, a collar outfitted with a motion sensor (MEMS accelerometer) and a temperature sensor that indicates when the mama cow is hitting peak fertility and is ready for reproduction. It's called a "bovine estrus cycle detection" app, and you can get updates from the cows via iPhone right there on the dairy farm. There are a staggering 265 million dairy cows in the world that could wear these collars, and whose farmers can benefit from this application. This is a fine example of someone figuring out a way to make a ton of money in MEMS with a non-consumer mobile device.

The MooMonitor collar. (Source: Dairymaster)

Fitzgerald identified several other MEMS-based applications in markets that some might call “unsexy” but that actually have big potential. In home maintenance equipment, we have robotic vacuum cleaners (Roomba), gutter cleaners (Looj), and even pool cleaners (Mirra) -- all made by iRobot. Even the big home appliance makers like Whirlpool and LG are getting into the action with “smart-home” goods such as clothes dryers embedded with humidity sensors.

While the thermostats that control HVAC might not seem like a huge market opportunity, Fitzgerald encouraged us to think again about this humble piece of electronics. There are 10 million thermostats purchased in the US each year, and 250 million already installed in homes and light commercial buildings. That's a market ripe for smart MEMS-enabled systems that can intelligently sense a home's/office's heating/cooling needs.

Enter the Nest Learning Thermostat that has multiple MEMS temperature sensors, IR motion detectors, and behavior analysis and prediction, and voila! You finally have a thermostat that can save you money on your HVAC. And the best news yet? Nest is intuitive, so you don't have to read a huge manual on how to program it. Fitzgerald estimated that based on the annual sale unit numbers, and estimating the cost of a thermostat at $50 to $250, the total available market for thermostats to control household HVAC would be at least $0.5 billion and possibly as high as $2.5 billion annually in the US. It's looking a lot sexier now, right?

The success of MEMS beyond the mobile-consumer space is still a well-kept secret. While health/fitness and medical devices are gaining some ground, Fitzgerald reminded us that there are many other huge industries that are often overlooked by MEMS product companies and market analysts. These include oil and gas, steel, agriculture, textiles, and mining, for starters. Fitzgerald believes that billion-dollar business opportunities are out there for companies that can think outside the box, instead of just providing more cool stuff for urban gadget hounds.

So let's hear it for MEMS-enabled products that help people in other large industries to get their work done in the oil fields of Texas and on the dairy farms of Wisconsin.

Thanks @AnandY for your comments. I know everyone is laughing when they hear "MooMonitor" but it's actually a huge deal for the dairy business and can be applied for any other type of animal husbandry for business. I would love to see - hear and read about more creative uses of MEMS and sensor technology that is not going to be featured at CES. And yes, will be featured at the Amway Feedstore! :)

It is no doubt that the moomonitor will revolutionize the way in which dairy cattle are managed. In fact the ability of the moomonitor to tell when a cow has reached peaked fertility and is ready for reproduction will reduce the likelihood of many farmers enhancing better use of the artificial inseminators well. It will also usher in a new digital age in the farming business in a manner that has never been tried before

I agree with Karen in that the use of the MEMS accelerometer in MooMonitors can serve to be of immense benefits to the dairy cow farmer. The farmer can effectively determine the peak fertility of the cow and reap immense profits from the products got during the peak season.

I am glad that you've taken away the most important part of my blog - that cows are awesome and should be taken more seriously by design engineers.

Right?

Not exactly the response I was going for. So let's dig for more, shall we?

Given your interests, Brian, how can we use MEMS to increase ways that you can enhance your ability to enjoy Cubs Games? Perhaps an Augmented/Virtual Reality headset (or body suit - think big!) outfitted with MEMS that can simulate your experience at a Cubs Game. You can sense (touch, smell, hear, see, etc.) the game as though you were there thanks to the enabling characteristics of MEMS woven into the fabric of your wearable-sensor-embedded Cubs outfiit and cap.

The only issue: are there enough Cubs fans out there to support a market for such a product?

Karen, when I drive through western Illinois, I often see cows with big yellow tags attached to their ears. I've always assumed those were some kind of RFID devices that enable the cow to be identified by feeding devices. Reading your article, though, I'm now wondering if those yellow tags use MEMS sensors, or if those are actually the MooMonitors. And if they are MooMonitors, why do some cows wear them around their necks while others have them on the ear?

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